First Love
by MissWitch250
Summary: The Senshi were never allowed to love. The way they'd seen it, Princess Serenity was cursed with love; to be constantly drawn to a man; to fawn over him; and in the end, to suffer in the heart because of him. Love was considered a curse. But they forgot that at one time, the Senshi were just as cursed as the Moon Princess. Based off manga, post Galaxia. I own nothing, R&R!
1. Prologue Pt 1 - Dreams

**.Mercury.**

The senshi were never allowed love. That was one of the Three Laws driven into their minds since birth. The way their tutors had seen it, Princess Serenity was cursed with love; cursed to be drawn towards a man, recklessly; To fawn over him; and in the end, to suffer in the heart because if him. There were many stories about tragedy and love, the two seemed to always go hand in hand.

Ami had read all the books about love; the old Greek and Japanese folklore from the past. When she was little, they entranced her. A woman or man willing to give everything away, just for a silly emotion that many experience more than once in their lives. Now, as an adolescent, the guardian of Mercury found the tale of _Romeo and Juliet_ to be tedious and ridiculous. Love at first sight was a myth, and Love in itself was a waste of time.

"Makoto's just looking for heartbreak. Absolutely needless..." Ami muttered to herself as she continued her study on several types of heart surgery. Tucking a stray lock of short, black hair behind her ear, Ami's eyes flicked back and forth, focusing on the screen of the Library computer. At nine in the morning, the sanctuary of books was almost completely vacant of human activity. She was alone, and it was peaceful.

"You can't believe that all love is needless, Mercury." A voice, smooth as flowing water, spoke up from behind her, and the black-haired Mercurian gasped in surprise. Sapphire eyes narrowing in suspicion, Ami glared at the blond invader of her peace.

"I'm warning you, one small push of a button, and the other senshi will be here instantly!" Her quiet and friendly voice froze so quickly that the blond teenager swore it burned, and his smile widened. Anxiety flashed in Ami's eyes, only for a moment, but it was enough. She remembered how his words had captured her in the past. At one time, the guardian of Mercury had been just as cursed as the Moon Princess.

"I mean you no harm, Princess and Guardian. I only wish to talk." Zoisite smiled warmly and presented a light blue rose, white at the tips of each petal, and a silver ribbon tied at the stem. Ami regarded the flower cautiously.

_"Fool. The royal title always comes second to the Guardian of Serenity."_ Mercury stared at the rose longer than necessary, and Zoisite knew he had her entranced, no matter how hard she struggled.

"NO! No words could ever redeem your actions to me and mine!" Ami protested, and the blond boy smirked. In an instant, he closed off the small distance between them, and his lips captured Ami's. Chaste, but not meaningless, Zoisite pulled away from the speechless young girl, leaving her with her eyes wide, filled with confusion.

"Accept that as the beginning of many apologies. And I assure you, none of them shall be with words... Your highness."

**.Venus.**

Minako strutted down the busy street, overflowing shopping bags in one arm, and a white cat walking alongside her. The sidewalks were filled with other shoppers, and Minako smiled at the noise and action around her. She always felt most at home while in the middle of cluttered shopping sprees. Turning a corner, the Guardian of Love glanced around her surroundings, and almost dropped her highly expensive haul of the day while trying to wave.

"Ami! Ami, over here!" Minako called, not aware or just not concerned about the attention she was drawing. She was a model, attention was what she was about.

The shy, blue-eyed sensei smiled, and made her way towards the loud blonde. While Minako was dressed for the weekend, wearing an orange sundress, Ami was in her school clothes, her blue skirt swinging modestly as she walked.

"Hello Mina, Artemis." Ami spoke softly, and knelt down to stroke the white cat's head. Artemis purred, trying not to blow his cover. People tended to freak when animals started talking...

"So Miss Mercury, what are you up to? Don't tell me you go to school on Sundays too?" Minako joked, and Ami blushed slightly.

"No. I'm heading towards the library. I'm... well I'm meeting someone." Ami's blush deepened, and her blonde companion squealed in delight.

"A boy? what's his name? when did you meet him? Do I know him?" As Minako questioned, Ami's watch beeped, and her eyes widened in surprise.

"I'm sorry Minako, but I'm late! I'll talk to you tomorrow. _Ja ne_." Ami ran off, and Minako stared at her questionably.

"What was that about? She could have at least told me if it was a boy or not!" The blonde asked herself.

"Maybe she didn't want to be questioned by the Venus Inquisition." Artemis joked resulting in Minako sticking her tongue out at him.

"Oh har har. You're _so_ funny. C'mon, I want to see who she's meeting." Adjusting her hold on her shopping bags, the hyperactive blond ran after her shy friend, the white cat having no choice but to follow. The Venusian and her cat bolted down the street, earning themselves stared from passers by. It wasn't everyday you saw a young woman running with the weight of thirty shopping bags in hand. Before long, the blonde beauty ran ahead of her tiring feline, and distance was quickly created between the two. Reaching the library, Sailor Venus stopped in her tracks, horror evident in her eyes.

Ami was standing at the entrance of the large and old library with a boy. His hair was long and blond, and he wore a familiar gray uniform. What left Minako speechless, was that Ami didn't seem distressed at his presence. She was even smiling! Anger clouding her mind, Minako stepped forwards, ready to attack the attack the follower of her former enemy. Before she could take another step, however, a hand fell onto her shoulder, and squeezed lightly. The Venusian whipped around, and snarled at who she saw.

"Kunzite!" Minako's eyes hardened at the sight of the man with eyes like ice. The silver haired man was as she remembered him, and the senshi's heart ached with hate and old memories.

"My intentions are peaceful, I assure you." He held his hands up, a safe gesture. Minako relaxed her stance, but her eyes were still fierce.

"If you had sent Zoisite to hurt Ami, I swear I'll kill you where you stand!" The guardian of Venus proclaimed and Kunzite just chuckled.

"The Senshi of Love doesn't believe in the love of two enemies. How ironic." He was challenging her, and she knew it. "Let them be, Minako." His voice now held a commanding tone, and the Venusian' broke.

"I _can't_! They can't be together, just as _we _can't be together!" They were yelling now. Both their bodies defensive, and they were drawing a large crowd of onlookers, but neither the Guardian of Venus nor the middle eastern commander cared.

"And why is that?"

And then it happened. Minako's self control shattered, and she fell into her compulsion. Stumbling forwards, she pressed herself against Kunzite's broad chest, and wrapped her arms around his waist. Tears clouded her vision and her body trembled as she tried to suppress her sobs.

"Because you killed me." She spoke quietly into his chest, but still he heard, and the silver-haired man held her to him as her knees decided to drop her weight. Together the two of them knelt on the ground, Minako a dead weight in his arms due to grief.

"You drove a sword through me in my last life. And in this one I am cursed to remember not only that moment, but all of the moments before, when I had loved you." Her voice shook, and he held her tighter. It was too much like that night, when the Sailor Senshi had died at the hands of those they had loved.

_"I killed you. And when my senses returned to me, I held you like this."_ Kunzite thought to himself as he leaned down to place a kiss on his blond haired love's lips. _"Exactly like this."_

**.Mars.**

Rei stared deep into the flames, her mind empty as she meditated. The room around her was dark, and the shadows of the fire dances all around her. She was at peace. She often meditated to clear her head... or to calm her temper when Usagi was being a twit... or even for something to do when Oji-chan was having a nap. The fire spoke to her, it's voice often a quiet murmur that she had to strain to hear. Listening often took time, concentration, and discipline, and while under all three she preformed her best. She was the only child of a politician, and was raised to be a priestess. Concentration and discipline were her best friends, teaching her how to be someone her Grandfather would be proud of, and the warrior her enemies feared.

"Silence your thoughts, Rei." The violet eyed priestess scolded herself for letting her mind wander. She had gone to consult the fire to see what move the enemy was making, not to muse about her upbringing. Shaking her head quickly to clear it of unwanted thoughts, the Guardian of Mars brought her attention back to the crackling fire. On her knees, she stared deep into the fire as figures and shapes danced before her eyes. The dark beings were blurry and unfocused as always, nothing had changed. Rei was about to lean back, and retire from her relentless watching, when something within the fire moved.

A figure stared back at her, clear as anything. His grey eyes stared out at Rei, as though he knew she was watching, and the ebony haired woman fell back in surprise. It was the first time the fire had spoken to her so loudly. It was the first time someone in the fire had acknowledged her.

Coming to her senses, Rei lifted herself up from the ground, and leaned far towards the fire, until her nose was in danger of being singed. The clear figure of the man was gone, but she knew who it was. She had seen his face before, in person. Jadeite, of the Negaverse, was one of Queen Baryl's minions, and the man who had killed her.

Rei visibly snarled at the memory of the blond haired boy as she stared deep in the fire, begging his face to return as clear as before, but it never did. The fire didn't call out to her again, and the Guardian of Mars was left frustrated and confused.

"He _can't_ be back!" Rei insisted to herself. "I watched him _die_!" The black haired teenager thought back to when she watched Jadeite as he was consumed by her flames. She was sure he had died.

Rei sat back, away from the fire. She drew her legs to her chest, and wrapped her arms around herself as she sat on the wooden floor. Placing her head on her knees, the Martian princess felt a heavy grief sweep over her, consuming her body like fire. She remembered clearly watching Jadeite dance as his body smoked from the flames that licked at his skin, but she also remembered past that, on the moon.

She and the other Senshi had tried so hard to protect the princess, but their mistake came when they decided to split up, and face Earth's four commanders on their own. Rei had found herself matched up with Jadeite, his eyes grey eyes that once held love for her, were cold with hate. He drew his sword, and she hesitantly readied her fire.

_"I don't want to fight him!"_ She had thought to herself as her eyes bled salty tears. She loved him greatly, but he didn't know her. The Sailor of War fell quickly, as the blade of her new enemy sliced deep into her side. She had stared up at him, even as he removed his sword from her body. His eyes were strangely empty, and it was then that her heart broke.

Rei shivered as she remembered falling to the ground, her body ice cold as she felt her blood seep down to the ground, staining her skin an ugly red. The faintly recalled the loud clang his sword made as he dropped it, and the fact that her body had never touched the ground. Someone had caught her, and it made the Senshi's skin crawl to think who it had been.

The black haired girl let in a shuddering breath, and she realized that she had been crying. Despite all that he did to her, she still felt guilt at killing him. In her mind, Jadeite didn't deserve to die at her hand, as she had died at his.

Without warning, the young miko found herself being pulled into the arms of someone unknown beside her. A familiar scent filled her nostrils, and she didn't fight as she felt his hands encircle her back, and held her tightly. Jadeite had entered her small sanctuary while her mind had wandered. He had come back from the dead, just to sooth her.

"The enchantment had lifted after that..." Jadeite's soft voice filled Rei's ears, and the priestess felt hot tears build as she pressed herself harder against him. He always knew what she was thinking, even if she never said... like he could read her mind.

"I thought you were gone." She murmured into his chest, not wanting to move away to look at him properly, in case it was all just a dream that she would destroy. The blond haired man continued as though he hadn't heard her.

"All the hatred I felt, it disappeared, and all I felt was loss. You were dying." He stopped to take a breath, and Rei took the time to sit more comfortably in his lap. "I caught you before you landed, and I begged to take it all back. In the end, I wanted to follow you."

Rei stayed there, with her head resting against his chest, and his hands rubbing up and down her back. She didn't know how he had come back, she didn't know how he found her again, but she was happy. She knew that neither of them would be able to take back what they had done to each other, and in a way, she still hated him and what he had accomplished. But she didn't want their moment to end. Somehow, in some way, Rei loved him still, and knew that he felt the same...

**.Jupiter.**

Makoto enjoyed her walks home from work. The streets were always busy, and avoiding running into someone was now something like a second nature to her. She could focus on her thoughts and not worry about accidentally pushing someone to the ground. It also helped that most people moved out of her way anyway, she was tall for a girl of fifteen.

The guardian of Jupiter walked wearily through the crowds. Along with schooling, the tall tomboy had two part-time jobs to help pay for her rent. Her Godfather also helped, but she didn't want to ask too much of him. She was independent, and didn't want to be a bother. So she worked both as a waitress after school, and in a flower shop on weekends. It was something only Minako knew, the Sailor of Love also being a working girl. Usagi and the others were in the dark about her working, and Makoto wanted it to stay that way for a little longer. They wouldn't understand. They lived with their families, not on their own.

The clouds above rumbled darkly, and all around her the pace quickened. People didn't like to get caught in thunderstorms, but Makoto didn't mind. It was her element, and she took comfort in the crashes and streaks of light that would flash above her head. She only wished that she could join them in the clouds.

Rain came hard and suddenly, and the people around her scrambled for cover. Many ran down the street with newspapers over their heads, other used their briefcases. Along the sides of the roads, under shop signs, many huddled together. Nobody liked to get wet, but Makoto ignored the rain. It was the only thing that made the thunderstorms less than perfect, but it wasn't enough to make her shy from her element. She stayed, walking down the sidewalk in her waitress outfit, quickly getting soaked. A smile graced her lips as thunder rolled above her.

"You should get inside. You'll get a cold." A voice spoke firmly from beside her, and Jupiter looked over to see a man. He was tall enough to force her to look up to see him (a feat most men can't accomplish), and he stood under a large, black umbrella. Makoto felt a blush dance over her cheeks This man was beautiful, and here she was in a soaked outfit, her hair lank and tangled, and the small amount of makeup she put on for the day probably smudged.

"I don't get sick often, and I love storms." She admitted, walking in step with the strange man. She noticed his hair was long and brown, running down his back. It entranced Makoto. He seemed familiar. The man chuckled at her comment, and the Jovian princess felt her blush deepen. He didn't seem to mind her disheveled appearance.

"I know the feeling. Thunder storms are always so powerful. Their a beautiful wonder to the world." He looked Makoto in the eye as he spoke, and a feeling of recognition swept her over. She remembered his face, his hair, and his voice so well, but she couldn't say from where. Before she could stop herself, the question was flowing from her lips.

"Do you want to come over?" Her eyes widened slightly at what she had said, and quickly fought to correct herself. "I feel bad for making you lend me your umbrella. You're just as soaked as I am, and probably a great candidate for the flu or something." She spoke quickly, her eyes avoided his, and the man chuckled once more. Makoto liked his laugh. It was light and easy.

"I would love to. It's not everyday that a man is blessed with the company of such a lovely young lady." The man gave a smile to Makoto and the thunder princess returned it back to him. The stranger reminded her of her last boyfriend in a way no other boy had. While others had reminded her of a small part of his appearance or personality, this man was like a living replica. It made her happy to be in his presence.

They weren't far from her apartment, and they arrived quickly, just as the rain was starting to worsen and lightning was flashing brightly in the sky. Jupiter lead the stranger up the several fleets of stairs to her floor; she never used the elevator, preferring to get some exorcise every day. It took several moments to unlock her apartment door (the lock tended to stick), but once she did, the door opened to a dark, but fairly comfortable home. Stepping inside, the Jovian warrior was quick to turn on the lights and turn on the small, portable heater in the living room.

"Feel free to use that to dry off your coat. It doesn't burn clothing all that easily." Makoto chuckled nervously and offered her guest some tea.

"I would love to. _Arigato_." He smiled in appriciation and the tall brunette got to work.

"So what's your name?" She questioned as she pulled on a white apron with yellow ruffles over her head. Her waitress uniform was still soaked underneath it, but she didn't mind. The man leaned against the kitchen door frame, his arms crossed but his body posture relaxed.

"Nephrite."

Makoto dropped the mug she was holding in shock. She knew that name, though only in a memory. Dropping down to pick up the shattered remains of the mug, Jupiter tried to correct her slip up.

_"Stop that. It could be a common name. It's only a coincidence."_ She snapped at herself as she busied herself with the broken fragments of coffee mug, but wasn't paying attention to what she was doing. With a hiss of sudden pain, Makoto had sliced her hand open on a sharp shard of porcelain. The man moved quickly from the kitchen door frame to her side, and cradled her small, bleeding hand in his own. Makoto marveled at how much larger his hands were to hers, when his voice demanded her attention.

"_Kami_, Makoto. You need to be more careful." He spoke with such strong concern in his voice that the sailor of protection almost missed what he said, and her eyes searched his in confusion.

"Who are you?" She hated the fear in her voice, but Nephrite didn't answer. Instead he brought her bleeding hand to the sink and turned the tap on. His face, just moments before carefree and amused, was now grim and stony.

"I didn't expect you to remember me. You were so broken that night I'd imagine that you'd try to block it from your memory. As for the last time we met, you were too busy attacking to take a good look at me, or ask questions. It was your first time transforming I believe." He spoke mostly to himself than her, but Makoto noticed how hurt he seemed at the idea that she didn't know him. Memories of a recent fight flashed before her mind, and the Jovian nearly gasped in surprise.

He was the man from the wedding shop. The man she had attacked, and turned to a stone of nephrite. As she realized this, older thoughts and memories threatened to overtake her, and she allowed them, not that she had much choice. They were so strong.

Memories and feelings of a past life overflowed to her, and Makoto clutched her heart as her head swam in memories of days of horseback riding and challenges, and nights of dancing and secret kisses. She had been courted by a man with flowing hair the colour of rust, and eyes so deep and blue she could drown.

Jupiter flushed heavily as she leaned back into her kitchen counter and stared up at the man she had once loved. She remembered clearly the disastrous night that the Moon Kingdom had lost, and the fate that had befallen her comrades. She didn't dwell on it. She knew that he wasn't in the right of mind, he didn't know what he was doing.

_"He lost his love too."_ Jupiter thought to herself. She had Nephrite were lovers in the Moon Kingdom. It was as forbidden as the love between Princess Serenity and Prince Endymion. Looking up at the tall man before her, Makoto felt the familiar love that was constant during her years as the moon princess's friend and companion.

Stepping forwards quickly, Makoto's hands reached out to Nephrite's face, and brought his lips down to hers. She kissed him passionately, as if she was making up for all the years they had spent apart. The Heavenly King wasted no time in wrapping his arms around her waist and lifting her high in the air, making the Jovian princess laugh with glee.


	2. Prologue Pt 2 - Memories

**.Zoisite.**

The blond general watched in boredom as his superior and prince negotiated with the Moon Kingdom. A war was threatening to break lose between the earth and lunar kingdoms, and the royal families were trying their best to stop it. From what Zoisite had heard, it wasn't just the Moon kingdom involved, but the other planets, the other royal figures that made up Princess Serenity's court.

Prince Endymion's guardian tuned out the conversation his Lord and the lunar princess were having and concentrated on the mess of yarn in his pocket. Setting up the string along his fingers, Zoisite readied himself for a long, complicated game of Cat's Cradle while the two royal families conversed. The blond general didn't need to hear his prince flirt with the ghostly white girl anyway. Though she was stunningly pretty, the Princess only had eyes for the dark haired prince, and she seemed like sort of an air-head anyway. Nice girl though.

Zoisite cursed quietly as his fingers got tangled once more in the dark green yarn, and Prince Endymion looked up from his conversation.

"Why don't you wait outside, Zoisite. These political visits always bore you, anyway." The dark haired prince spoke kindly, and the blond general smirked. With a mock salute and a smile, the European general headed for the door. Yes, the moon princess was a nice girl, and he would be glad to work as an ally. But he would let Endymion deal with that. For the moment, Zoisite only wanted to deal with his tangled yarn.

Once outside of the conference room, the emerald eyed boy knew that he was childish, and more immature than his brethren who pledged their lives for Prince Endymion. While Nephrite consulted the stars, and Kunzite obsessed over training, Zoisite's mind was far away. While his friends practiced with swords and shields, the blond general played with string. To him, Cat's Cradle was a puzzle, complex and delicate, and very much worth his time.

Zoisite hummed softly as he set up the puzzle once more, and leaned against the solid door of the conference room. The Moon Kingdom palace was made of stone, mostly marble, every wall, ceiling and floor made of the magnificent stone. There was no need for additional lighting, as the Moon's surface was luminous, and the marble palace reflected it's light perfectly. It was a peaceful, quiet place...

"For _fuck's_ sake!"

... Until Zoisite ruined it as he swore in frustration. His fingers were once again tangled in the small, green yarn, this time painfully so. The blond general tried to rip his fingers away from each other, and the offending piece of yarn, only to have said string dig painfully into his long fingers. Hissing at the sting, Zoisite cursed at his yarn, and once more began at the horrendous process of untangling his fingers. Not even several seconds into his task, and the young general jumped up in surprise. Someone was giggling. Glancing around, the blond boy quickly noticed who had entered the formerly deserted hall without his knowing. It was a young girl.

She stood across the hall, no older than fourteen, with hair like the night sky: inky blue and cut short. The unknown woman held her hand to her light pink lips, holding back another burst of giggles. Her sapphire eyes twinkled with amusement, and Zoisite felt heat rush to his cheeks as he blushed. He had always made sure not to cuss in front of a lady.

"My apologies, Miss." Zoisite walked up to the young lady, and took her small hand in his. It was nearly child-like, compared to his own, and ice cold. The blond general bent down to kiss it softly. "I should be more careful with my language." He gave an awkward smirk as he straightened up, and gave his unknown companion a quick once-over.

Her skin was pale, almost as white as Princess Serenity, but not quite, and she had freckles. They danced across her cheeks and the bridge of her nose, making her seem younger. Her large, blue eyes stared deep into his, their appearance almost mournful. She was unlike any woman, of Earth or Moon, that he had ever seen. Everything about her screamed importance and wisdom, and though her gaze upon him was warm and welcoming, her eyes themselves were ice. She was distant, and untouchable.

Her strange and alluring appearance was increased when the blond boy had noticed her dress. While those of the Moon Kingdom wore white tints of silver, blues and pinks, the stranger wore a gown of solid blue. It was a simple enough dress, full length with thin straps across her pale shoulders, connected to the dress by golden clasps. It had a trim of blue ribbon on the v-neck collar, and trailing behind her was a gossamer fabric that made her gown look like ice on a frozen lake or sea. Zoisite found himself speechless at her appearance.

"What were you doing with the yarn?" She asked, her voice filled with interest, and the general from Earth gave a foolish smile as he pulled out the messy ball of yarn from his pocket. It took him only seconds to set up Cat's Cradle and present it to the unknown girl.

"It's a puzzle. The aim is to get the puzzle on your own hands." Zoisite smirked as he instructed the eager girl on how to transfer the mess of green yarn from his fingers to her own. Her eyes flashed with determination, and she quickly got a hang of it. Before long, she was solving the cradle faster than anyone the blond general had ever seen.

The sapphire haired lady looked up at Zoisite, and blushed furiously.

"I'm good at puzzles." She spoke up sheepishly, and the European general grinned, and praised her success at the game.

"I can tell." The young girl's blushed deeper, and she was about to respond, when the doors to the conference room swung open, and two familiar figures emerged, hand in hand. The petite princess, Serenity, took one glance at the puzzle of green yarn wrapped around the unknown woman's fingers, and squealed with joy.

The blue haired beauty looked up in surprise, and blushed heavily at the sight of the Lunar heiress and the Terran Prince. Being distracted by the two himself, Zoistite didn't notice that his new companion had left his side until a mess of green yarn fell into his lap. Looking over, he realized that the sapphire eyed woman had glided over to Princess Serenity's side, her head bowed down in modesty.

"I'll go and make sure that your room is ready for your turn, my Highness." She spoke softly, a hint of embarrassment in her voice.

"Okay, thank you Mercury." Serenity responded cheerfully, and Zoisite felt his heart pound painfully in his chest. The name she had given the unknown girl was familiar, and suddenly, her strange appearance made sense. She was a Mercurian, and not just some common chamber maid or lady in waiting. She was the Princess of Mercury, Princess Ami.

The blond general stared at the Mercurian with interest. Relations between the Earth and other planetary kingdoms were forbidden...

"That'll make things interesting." Zoisite muttered to himself as he watched the Mercurian look back at him and blush before leaving the grand hall.

**.Kunzite.**

"Would you care to dance?" The silver haired general glanced down at the blue eyed beauty, his face expressionless. Around them music played on, and other couples glided along the marble dance floor, laughing and enjoying themselves. Kunzite watched them from the corner of his eye with minor surprise. By being one of Prince Endymion's court, he was used to a civil relationship between the Earth and other planetary rulers of the solar system, seeing them all in one room, large though it was, was something of a spectacle. Gowns of all colours whisked past him, like a moving, swirling rainbow in the silvery white ballroom, and Kunzite appreciated the beauty.

His plan for the night was simply to be an observer, and not actually one of the dancing mass. He would watch as his prince and his colleagues glide along the dance floor, a woman on their arm. As was expected, Endymion danced with the silver Lunar Princess, and the other generals partnered with Princess Serenity's court. Looking at the faces of his friends, Kunzite noted the laughter and enjoyment etched upon their faces. They were having a good time dancing, so why couldn't he.

Glancing down at the blond woman before him, the silver haired general sought a name for a face. She obviously wasn't from the Lunar Kingdom, that much was apparent from the dress alone. Instead of the silvery silk that was common for Serenity's court, the blue eyed girl wore a gown as golden as the sun, with hair to match. Suddenly, it clicked. She was a Venusian, from the Planet of Love. Her sapphire eyes looked up at him from behind golden strands, and Kunzite felt his hands clench in discomfort. She looked too hopeful and too confidant for his liking. She had no doubt of his answer.

"I don't dance." Kunzite spoke, his tone final.

"Your friends do." She countered playfully, and Earthling let out a low sigh. He was a smart man, and knew when he was facing an opponent that would not give up.

"One dance." He nearly growled at his decision, and grabbed the small hand of the blond haired beauty. Said beauty giggled and allowed herself to be dragged to the dancefloor. Placing one hand on his shoulder, and the other in his strong grasp, the blue eyed girl looked up at Kunzite. She looked no older than fourteen, but she stared at him with eyes more wise than her years.

"That's 'one dance, your highness' to you."She smirked as the general held her waist firmly, and led her around in a waltz. Kunzite showed no surprise at her royal title, having suspected as much from the beginning.

"Very well, your Highness." He allowed the words to flow from his lips, and didn't fail to notice the smile that appeared on the Venusian's face, along with a faint blush. The song ended, and another one started, and still the two danced in silence. It was comfortable, and Kunzite was glad at his partner, thankful that she wasn't the talkative air-head he had taken her for. Without realizing, the general had pulled his unknown partner closer while they danced, so that his arm wrapped around her waist, instead of a hand being placed. If she had wanted, the Venusian Princess could rest her head on his shoulder. Kunzite smirked as he realized their position, and moved back to allow his partner to spin in time to the music. Around them, an audience had gathered, and applauded their performance.

The blond beauty beamed at the attention, and as Kunzite twirled her back into his arms, she lifted herself up on the tips of her toes, and pressed her lips against him. The entire ballroom fell into a dead silence as the unnamed girl kissed the Earthen general. Suspended in shock, Kunzite stared at his partner in pure surprise. He wasn't going to lie to himself and say it wasn't pleasant, and without thinking, wrapped his arms around her waist once more. Around them, the ballroom broke into scattered applause once more, and several members called out wolf-whistles and cries of mirth. Kunzite ignored all of them, one thought in mind.

_"Fun night."_

**.Jadeite.**

Jadeite stood off to the side, removing himself from the festivities around him. Galas at the moon kingdom were a common thing now that the five planetary kingdoms had joined together in an alliance, and the Commander had quickly grown bored of them. After several drinks, there was only so much he could endure. The music was slow, and without beat; the dignitaries acted without constraint, laughing and behaving on a whim; and the women were mediocre at best. In fact, the most attractive woman he witness all night was the Moon princess, and she seemed to be already smitten with the Earth Prince, and his monarch.

Hiding a yawn behind a gloved hand, Jadeite ignored the hopeful looks of the moon women, and excused himself from the ball room. The music was starting to give him a head ache, and if he was lucky, he would be able to find a room of interest, or a woman of good company. He would not be missed.

Strolling down the halls and corridors of the Lunar Palace, hands still clasped behind his back, Jadeite came across a strange sight: red. Surrounded by the luminescent blue of the moon, the colour caught the eye better than a great beacon, and the Commander found himself drawn to it.

The red was from the dress of a young girl, only just turned a woman. She stepped lightly along the great hall, her posture of one of great importance, her face a cold mask of indifference. Her black hair fell as a black sheet down her back, and her red and pink dress trailed behind her as she glided down the corridor. As quickly as she appeared, she passed, not taking notice of the Heavenly King as she undoubtedly made her way towards the ongoing gala only a few doors down.

A sudden fire found itself in Jadeite's heart, and he could no longer stand her air of superiority. He wasn't sure what made him say it, but he did not regret the words that issued from his mouth.

"A woman will curtsy when passing a man of stature." The Commander of the Far East called to her back, and she stopped, her hair swayed as she turned to look to him. Her eyes were suddenly sharp, and a flame danced in her violet gaze.

"A man will bow when presented to royalty." The red woman countered back, and made a move to continue onward to the party. Deciding that he was having far too much fun, and reasoning that he held his liquor far to well to be inebriated, Jadeite insisted on carrying on.

"I see no royalty here, or did you mean yourself?" Stopping in her tracks once more, the red girl turned to face her aggressor.

"Do you know who I am?" The unnamed girl asked, her voice low and dangerous, and her eyes nearly burning like an inferno.

"A girl in red, playing dress-up?"

* * *

When Prince Endymion heard the commotion from the hall, he called his Shitennou to follow him. Opening the grand doors, leading away from the Gala, he and the other three generals came to an astonishing sight:

The Commander of the Far East stood yelling in the center of the hall, his face red and his hair a mess, as though he had spent the last half an hour running his hand through it in exasperation.

Less than five inches away from him was the Martian Princess, only fourteen, and late for her entrance to the Gala. Her face was screwed up in rage, and many could see scorch marks on her dress, and on the floor around her, indications of both her rage, and her royal heritage.

Prince Endymion, the three remaining Shitennou, Princess Serenity, and her Sailor Senshi were exposed to another astonishing scene as the two suddenly stopped yelling, and fell into each others arms, kissing heavily.

**.Nephrite.**

The dark skies rumbled ominously overhead, casting the land in a dark gloom that was broken only by the bright flashes of lightning; a sign of fortune, the locals insisted. Nephrite saw the large bursts of electricity as a safety issue, and glowered at the strangely coloured clouds ahead. On Earth, storm clouds ranged in colours from grey to black, but that was not the same on Jupiter. On the large planet, the clouds swirled in a range of colours previously unimagined. Putrid greens and venomous purples fused together in the mid-day sky, but no sun shined through. The suns rays could not pierce through the thick overcast, and the night sky's only light came from the frequent flashes of lighting, for which the royal family was the cause.

The Shitennou's frown deepened as he thought of the royal family. The king of the land had greeted him fondly, eager for the peace treaty the tall alien provided on behalf of the Earth prince. Prince Endymion was requesting peace between all the royal families; to be included in the unity that had started with (and held together) by the Moon Kingdom, and Queen Serenity. The Goddess of the Moon had kept peace with the rest of the solar system for hundreds of years, but Earth had not been a part of that armistice. Now, Prince Endymion wanted to fix that. He had sent his four great generals off to the four other royal families, in the hopes of establishing a bond. From what the North American general had heard, the other three Shitennou had been successful (more of less), and now it was his turn.

Sighing with a grimace, Nephrite turned away from the window and waited for his audience with the Princess. Although the girl's father was the ruler of Jupiter, he had no patience for the Moon Kingdom, and often left any business to his only daughter. Therefore, it was the daughter who was bonded to the Moon, and who would have to sign the treaty. The long haired brunette felt a smile creep upon his lips as he remembered the tall young woman who stood beside her father in the grand hall at the moment of his arrival. The Jovian's were a tall race, with their King standing at nearly eight feet tall. His daughter was nearly dwarfed by him, but she was far taller than most Earth girls her age, the top of her head coming up a little past the General's chin. It was her first time seeing someone from the little blue marble in the solar system, and her eyes were completely mesmerized by him.

Without warning, the large door to the small meeting room swung open, and a modestly dressed servant entered, her eyes downcast. Nephrite stood up straight at her sudden appearance, but showed nothing but composure. The young maid looked at the human with fright, before announcing her business.

"The young Princess will see you now, sir." The servant's voice wavered momentarily before she stepped back to exit the room. Nephrite felt a sense of slight irritation at being left alone once more, but held his tongue. He refused to be seen as a discourteous guest.

"Very well." The Earth general spoke to no one in particular (maybe himself), and contemplated staring back at the strange clouds again. Jupiter was a planet wrought wrought with storms, but none were so big as the Great Storm, a giant storm, larger than the Earth itself, and seen from the outside as only a large red spot on the planets surface. Nephrite glanced out the large window once more, studying the clouds with a sense of distaste. In his life on Earth, there was nothing he loved more than to study the stars, but how was that possible from such a planet as Jupiter, where the night sky was hidden from view?

"It's not always stormy, you know." A soft voice spoke up from behind him, and Nephrite whirled around in surprise. He had been so caught up in his musings that he hadn't heard the woman enter the room. The human Shitennou was about to make a retort when he realized who was speaking.

The Jovian Princess looked out to the sky with power and serenity clear upon her face, her emerald eyes catching the strange, kaleidoscopic clouds from above.

"Some nights, the Great Storm travels over our castle, and the night sky can be seen from the eye of the storm for hours. My people would call it the Gods' Eye, and say that the gods were watching. It's said to be a night of good luck." The young princess smiled up at the general, glad to share something so personal of her home, and Nephrite found himself responding with a small smirk of his own.

"I would very much like to see that." The tall Earthling stood and made his way back to the door. It was time for the princess to sign the treaty.

Knowing the reason for the Shitennou's visit, the Jovian princess followed the tall general out the door to sign the treaty, and bring peace to the solar system. With a small smile, she gracefully accepted his offered arm, and they walked out the door together. Nephrite couldn't help but notice her blush.


	3. Chapter 1 - Morning Calls and Meetings

So I combined a lot of the chapters together and I must say i should have done that from the start XD unfortunately, most of this chapter isn't new material, but feel free to just skip to the part that you haven't read before. That being said, I did change Ami's hair from blue to black, because blue hair just didn't sit right with me... at least when she's in civilian form.

Anyway, enjoy!

* * *

"_Shine Snow Illusion!_" Mizuno Ami cried out as she bolted upright in bed, her mind still in the midst of the nightmare she had just escaped from. Chest heaving with every forceful intake of air, the young heroine rubbed her eyes with the heel of her hand, willing her mind to shake away the fog of sleep and (after a small struggle with the blanket wrapped around her waist) swung her legs over the side of the bed to stand up.

"Oh!" The black-haired woman gasped with surprise as her feet hit not paneled wood as she was expecting, but a freezing layer of frost. Eyes wide in shock, Ami jumped back into her comforter and stared around her room. It was not yet dawnand although the moon was new and no light penetrated the window, she could clearly see that she was surrounded by a coating of ice. Every surface glittered and the ice gave the water wielding warrior a terrible chill.

With her heart pounding wildly in her throat, the Senshi of Wisdom threw back the covers once more and grabbed the fuzzy yellow housecoat hanging from the knob of her closet door. Wrapping the fleecy material around her tightly, the indigo-eyed woman hurried out of her bedroom and into the hallway. Heading to the kitchen, Ami was relieved to see that the sudden blizzard hadn't gotten past her bedroom door; though her apartment was definitely colder than usual, especially on a summer night, the floors and walls were frost-free and her breath wasn't as visible as it was in her bedroom. Holding her housecoat tightly against her body, Ami flicked the overhead kitchen light on and set herself to making a large, _warm_ cup of coffee; it was too early to truly start her day, but dawn was only a few short hours away and going back to bed would serve her no purpose.

Sitting comfortably at her kitchen table, the Mercurian genius ran her fingers through short, black hair and let out a low sigh. It was the second time that week she had woken up to find that her powers have been acting strangely during the night, after breaking away from a dream that she could barely remember. Holding her mug of coffee in her hands, Ami shivered as the warm beverage slowly melted away the chill that had set itself deeply in her body. Though she lacked Rei's divine ability to stare into flames and see dangers to come, the young woman's intuition was screaming at her that something wasn't right and that the Senshi had better be ready for what was to come.

As she finished the rest of her morning brew, Ami decided that the sense of unease could not wait; and that a chat with the priestess of Hikawa Shrine was due.

*。.❄¨¯`*✲´*。.❄¨¯`*✲。❄。*。¨¯`*✲´*。.❄¨¯`*✲。❄。*。¨¯`*✲´*。.❄¨¯`*✲。❄。*。¨¯`*✲´

No morning light streamed through the bedroom window that morning, the sky's grey overcast effectively blocking out any possible chance of a sunny day. Within the cramped apartment, it's only occupant slept uneasily in her bed; sheets tangled tightly around her legs and her long, rust-coloured hair in a tangled mess of disarray. Beside the tall brunette's unmade bed, a digital alarm clock revealed the early morning hour, the machine's harpy scream only moments away. With a small click, the clock read seven AM and it's mechanical, earsplitting noise was audible throughout the small apartment.

Groaning at her less-than-peaceful awakening, Kino Makoto reached her arm out and slammed a tightly clenched fist against the boisterous machine, ending it's shrill cry. Eyes still closed against the light of the off-white sky, the tall brunette let out a strangled grunt of frustration.

"Crap. Broke another one." Makoto cursed, her voice groggy and still full of sleep. It was the third alarm clock she had bought in the last month, the last two destroyed in a very similar fashion involving the woman's fist and her inhuman strength. Rubbing her eyes against the offending morning light, the guardian of Jupiter sat up swiftly, thought not quite yet willing to open her eyes.

She was having the dreams again; mysterious dreams (and sometimes, nightmares) that wove through her sleeping subconsciousness and left her sleep deprived and grouchy by morning. It was because of these dreams (nightmares?) that her alarm clocks were being destroyed and that her thoughts kept straying to the enigmatic figure present when she closed her eyes.

Suppressing the surprisingly overwhelming urge to growl and throw something, Makoto swung her legs off the bed (ripping them from the tangled sheets) and tried for what seemed like the hundredth time that week, to remember the unidentified man that haunted her mind. Though she dreamt of the man often, his face always seemed to escape her, her only recollection being long, flowing hair (not unlike her own), and deep blue eyes that stared down at her, a feat not many men could boast.

Rubbing her eyes roughly with the heels of her hand, the green-eyed Jovian let out another groan, before standing up and stumbled to her bathroom. Since she had lived on her own since she was thirteen, the Senshi of Love and Courage never thought twice about walking around her one-bedroom apartment in less than decent apparel (her pajama's being nothing more than and old t-shirt and a pair of comfy underwear). She shuffled groggily to her small and often messy bathroom, stifling a a yawn as she scratched herself in a particularly unladylike manner, her body slouched over, as per her usual morning ritual. Despite her obvious lack of wakefulness, the reincarnation of Jupiter herself clearly heard the familiar '_hmph_' of a disapproving priestess and the stifled laughter of blonde bombshell that Makoto knew all to well.

"What the hell are you two doing here!?" Makoto exclaimed loudly, only just noticing her intruders. Aino Minako and Hino Rei sat in her cramped kitchen, both helping themselves to the tray of cookies the shocked brunette had left over the night before to cool.

Taking a step forward, the young fighter prepared to swipe her latest works of art away from her greedy friends, when her current state of indecency was brought to mind. Blushing furiously, the pants-less Senshi shot back into her room and searched wildly for something to hide her mistake.

Moments later, Makoto emerged from her room, face still bright red and fuming, her favorite pair of jeans replacing her previous apparel.

"Gi'me those." The tall brunette snatched a cookie from the giggling blonde, placing the baked good back with the others on the large platter, glaring at the tongue that was stuck out at her in response  
"Nice pj's, Jupiter." The Senshi of Love winked comically as she reached for her reclaimed cookie, but was stopped by a quick slap to the wrist.

"What are you guys doing in my kitchen?" Makoto asked the haughty priestess, ignoring the sulking blonde for the moment. It wasn't that she didn't love having her friends visit, but she preferred to at least be given some warning first (and not to be caught in her underwear first thing in the morning). Breaking into her usual morning ritual, the Guardian of Jupiter rummaged around the kitchen, working on her morning cup of tea and a bagel. Though Ami enjoyed cup of coffee first thing in the morning (and Usagi and Minako were practically useless without a shot of caffeine), the Soldier of Courage preferred a drink less bitter.

"You seemed to have had a rough night, we wanted to check up on you." The raven-haired beauty was a natural at ignoring annoying blondes, her eyes boring into Makoto's as she fought the urge to smack the bubbly supermodel upside the head for the vexation she had caused.

"Rough night?" The emerald-eyed woman thought back to her dreams the night before, but quickly pushed the foggy memories from her mind and focused on the container of instant coffee she had on hand in case of morning visitors. "How would you know that?"

Without missing her cue, Minako stopped her sulking and flicked on the small television placed on Makoto's kitchen counter, in perfect position for the stormy brunette to watch her favorite cooking shows while she made supper. The TV was quickly switched from a woman showing how to make the perfect roast chicken, to a man standing in front of a computer generated backdrop depicting the course of a sudden storm that had mysteriously appeared only last night.

_"And as you can see, the storm appeared quite suddenly over Tokyo last night, before spreading to Nagoya and finally Kyoto and Osaka. We've never seen a storm so large and from the reports we have, the storm has already disappeared. Furthermore, we have received reports of lighting flashes in frequencies previously unheard of. Seriously, I've never heard of anything like this!"_

Feeling that enough was said to make their point, Minako flicked off the television as Rei turned to the shocked brunette.

"I did that?" Makoto exclaimed in surprise, her green eyes wide with disbelief. It wasn't the first time her powers have manifested while she was just Kino Makoto, a regular girl and not a lightning-wielding superhero, but to hear of a storm appearing that was almost two-hundred and fifty miles long was almost terrifying.

"I saw it last night. I've never seen you make a storm this big." Rei stared out the kitchen window at the dark clouds that covered the sky and blocked out the morning sun. Though the storm was well passed, they still rumbled ominously.

Nobody spoke for a while as Makoto finished brewing her tea and coffee. Though Minako's attention was quickly diverted by the prospect of caffeine, Rei sniffed disdainfully at the offered beverage. Pushing the offending cup away from her sense of smell, the haughty Martian was quick to get back to business. Receiving a cold stare from the Senshi's own ice queen, Makoto followed Rei's lead and pushed away her early morning distraction.  
"What happened last night, Mako?" The politician's daughter reached over the table to grab a hold of the tall Jovian's hand, a rare act of friendship from the usually stoic woman. Coffee mug empty, Minako placed her hand on top of theirs, earning herself yet another glare from Rei, but the cold priestess said nothing.

"We're you're friends, Kino, and we'll gladly walk in on you in your underwear to prove that." The bubbly blonde joked with a wink and laughed as Rei placed her head in her hand, the beginnings of a headache appearing.

.•°*"˜˜"*°•.;ƸӜƷ;.•°*"˜˜"*°•.;ƸӜƷ;.•°*"˜˜"*°•.;ƸӜƷ;.•°*"˜˜"*°•.;ƸӜƷ;.•°*"˜˜"*°•.;ƸӜƷ;.•°*"˜˜"*°•.

"I don't know why I brought you along." Rei rolled her eyes at the exuberant blonde walking alongside her down the crowded street. For once, Artemis didn't accompany the part-time model and for that, the dark-haired Martian was glad; unlike Luna, the white cat didn't have quite the knack for laying low and staying unnoticed by humans.

"Because I'm your partner in crime." Minako stopped to flash a quick 'Sailor V' pose and gave the haughty priestess a playful wink. Embarrassed but the puzzled stares the two strange women were receiving, Rei quickly grabbed the model's wrist and dragged the blonde down the street, her own head bowed down in annoyance.

_'Pain in my neck, more like'_. The Guardian of Passion grumbled to herself as she stomped down the side of the street, giggling Minako in tow.

"I'm only joking, Sparky." Rei stopped in her tracks at the horrendous nickname the Sailors' 'fearless' leader had bestowed on her and rounded on the blonde, ready to strike.

"Besides, I know you've noticed something strange going on." Minako's azure eyes hardened with a sudden seriousness and Makoto's face flashed before both girls' eyes. Though their thundering friend insisted that all was well, the dark-haired priestess knew better and wasn't about to let the matter drop so easily. Realizing that she wasn't the only one worried for a friend, Rei nodded and hurried down the street, once more dragging Minako with her.

"Hey, what's the rush?" The exuberant blonde called after her friend as she jogged to catch up to the storming black-haired beauty. Pulling up her sleeve, Rei ignored her question and flipped open the small, red watch-like communicator around her wrist.

"Ami, Mako, and Usagi come in." Rei called the other scouts while the two young women weaved through the heavy morning crowd, her other hand still clasped around Minako's wrist, dragging the confused blonde along. "I want you all to meet us at the shrine in an hour, I think something's come up." Without waiting for a response, the nearly frantic priestess flipped her communicator shut and Minako felt her heart sink.

The Sailor Senshi were no longer schoolgirls, trying desperately to juggle two lives and a mountain of homework between nights of fighting evil and protecting the world. It had been nearly two years since Galaxia's death and aside from the occasional youma left over from the Dark Kingdom, the girls were now left to fighting common muggers, thieves, and thugs. Though nights were now patrolled with ease, a dark feeling had settled deep within the Soldier of Love.

Allowing herself to be dragged along by the fiery priestess, the golden-haired Venusian's thoughts ran to the strange nightmares that have been plaguing her less-than peaceful nights. Silver eyes haunted her dreams, smoldering behind strands of platinum-white hair that put Sailor Moon's silver-gold locks to shame. Memories of nights long ago resurfaced every night, leaving the golden Champion of Justice feeling both emotionally and mentally drained. A long time ago such dreams would make her heart race and her heart catch in her throat, but that was a lifetime ago; now the memory of the silver man left her with nothing but a bad temper and a migraine.

A sharp pain in her toe and the sickening sensation of vertigo assaulted Minako's senses, bringing her to the realization that Rei had dragged her all the way to the Hikawa Shrine and that without paying attention to her surroundings, the blonde bombshell had tripped over the steps. Throwing her arms in front of her to catch her fall, Minako winced as the hard gravel dug painfully into her palms and knees, tearing up skin.

"Minako!" Rei was beside the Soldier of Love in an instant, holding up the blonde idol's hands in her own to inspect the damage. It was only when the tears fell on her upturned palms that Minako realized that she was crying and Rei hastily shoved a plain white handkerchief under her nose.

With an air of elegance that always seemed so natural on the raven-haired priestess, Rei seated herself on the steps leading up to her family's shrine and allowed the morose woman beside her a moment to compose. Her figure was the very image of patience and tranquility, and Minako found herself smiling despite the tears. Returning a small smile of her own, Rei reached over to tuck several stray strands of golden blonde hair behind her companion's ear, before allowing the light upturn of her lips to disappear.

"You remember them, too." Minako could hear the faintest crack in the priestess's voice, but Rei's figure never wavered. There was no need to elaborate; the blonde idol knew what the Soldier of Flame and Passion was talking about.

Endymion's Shitennou: four generals from Earth who had accompanied the young Prince to the Moon Kingdom so long ago; and more recently, Beryl's subordinates, enemies to Sailor Moon and their Princess, and killed by the Senshi's hand. Holding her head in her hands, the blonde woman could remember her Crescent Boomerang slicing Zoisite to pieces so many years ago, but she could also remember before that, when he was the young General who would follow around Mercury like a sick puppy; always so eager for her affection.

The Senshi of Love knew that her fellow scout's didn't remember as much of their lives during the Silver Millennium as she did; she woke up nearly a year before the others,

Feeling warmth on her shoulder, Minako looked over to see Rei's hand in a gesture of comfort. Giving the psychic priestess a watery smile, the blonde beauty rubbed her eyes and stood up abruptly. With a look up to the shrine that had become a home away from home for all the Senshi, she let out a low sigh and turned to the dark-haired woman beside her. Though Rei held her troubles tightly within her, Minako could see the weariness in her deep, amethyst eyes, and the faintest trace of dark circles beneath. It was obvious that the nights that have been bothering the daughters of Jupiter and Venus, have been affecting the Soldier of War as well.

"Lets go inside, Rei. I think we should talk before the others get here." With a nod, the fiery priestess rose from her family's steps.

_¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸_

Moments later, Minako found herself in Rei's bedroom, a tray of tea placed under her nose by the temperamental woman's flirty grandfather.

"_Arigato_, Gramps." The blonde Venusian smiled at the elderly man's antics, always finding the womanizing old man to be well-meaning. Rei, however, had another word for it.

"Get outta here. Old pervert." The Martian priestess was quick to slide the door to her room shut, but Minako could see the faint smile tug at her friend's lips. Though Rei insisted that her grandfather was an old pervert, it was obvious how much she cared about the man. As she turned back to the exuberant blonde, Minako was quick to wipe the slight smile from her face and brought forth a more serious expression.

"I've been having dreams and _he's_ in them. I tried scrying into the fire and all it shows me is that night when I first transformed into Sailor Mars and I burnt Jadeite to a_crisp_." At the last second, Rei's temper snapped and a heat-wave surged through the room, her eyes shining brightly as the crimson sign of Mars blazed brightly on her brow. Flames erupted at the priestess's feet, climbing up her bare legs and singeing the hem of her soft, grey skirt, yet her skin remained unmarked.

Minako watched in surprise and amazement as the Senshi of War calmed her sudden temper. The temperature of the room lowered to the uncomfortable heat of summer, instead of the scorching inferno that surely must have been Hell and the Venusian blonde felt her cheeks sting from the sudden change. With a swoon, Rei dropped to the knee in sudden fatigue and Minako ran to her side.

"Are you okay?" The blue-eyed blonde asked in concern. She could feel the heat radiating of Rei's skin and though twice about helping her up. Though the ebony-haired woman trembled from the strain of releasing her powers, Minako knew that touching her would only leave her with burns on her torn-up hands.

"I'm _fine_." Rei seethed, frustrated and furious at herself for losing control. It wasn't the first time her powers had lashed out through her anger; her bedroom floor owned its own fair share of burn marks and she had noticed several new singe marks on her comforter. Breathing deeply, the dark-haired priestess harnessed her anger and felt the burning inferno inside her simmer out.

"_Oh Miss Grouchy-Pants_." A familiar blonde called out in a sing-song voice as she slid the bedroom door open and Rei jumped up in surprise. Tsukino Usagi burst into the small bedroom, followed quickly by Ami and a fully-dressed Makoto.

"I mean really, Rei, calling us up for this _impromptu _meeting", Usagi rolled her eyes playfully at the newest word added to her vocabulary as she sat herself comfortably by Minako's side. "And then you have us look all over the grounds to... find... you..." The bubbly blonde trailed off uncertainly as she finally glanced in the Soldier of Passion's direction and noticed the fiery sign blazing brightly on her brow. "My _goodness_ Rei, what happened to your forehead?"

At the fire-wielder's look of confusion, Minako passed Rei her compact mirror and answered her princess's question while the Senshi of War swore loudly.

"It showed up after Rei lost her temper and barbecued her skirt." Four pairs of eyes darted quickly to the priestess's knee-length pencil skirt and the slightly-smoking singe marks left over from the recent temper tantrum. Usagi and Makoto doubled over each other, hands clasped tightly to mouths as they erupted in fits of silent laughter, while Ami grabbed her compact computer and inspected the blazing sign glowing on the fuming woman's forehead.

"Oh, knock it off, you dimwits." Rei snapped at the giggling duo as she inspected the blazing insignia that marked her brow. Aside from the warmth that radiated from the symbol, she would have never had known that it was there. Combing her hair back in place, the amethyst-eyed woman turned to the black-haired genius that was currently typing away furiously on her hand-held computer.

"Well, from what I can tell, the Mars insignia's the result a _gigantic_ power surge, but I don't see how that could have happened from just a temper tantr- a lapse in composure." Catching the warning look Rei was sending her way, Ami gave a nervous cough and corrected herself before the Senshi of Passion's rage flared again and continued on with her diagnosis. "And whatever this is, you're not the only one who's going through it; My apartment's been feeling a lot more like a freezer more often than not this week and I think we all know that Makoto started that storm last night." Makoto blushed at the mention of the near-hurricane she had unintentionally created and Usagi burst out in laughter once more at her friend's expense.

Minako remained silent while Ami continued to inspect the Martian symbol that still blazed on Rei's forehead. In truth, the blonde beauty had been experiencing the same outbursts of power as her friends and teammates, but for one difference; she could remember clearly the dreams that have been activating her Venusian powers, whereas the other Senshi seemed to be oblivious. Minako shivered slightly as she recalled how many times that week she had awoken to find the feminine sign of Venus blazing in a golden light on her brow and the clear image of Kunzite dancing before her eyes. The silver-haired man haunted her dreams, not as a minion of the Dark Kingdom, or as the valiant Shitennou serving under Prince Endymion during the Silver Millennium, but as a normal man.

Shaking her head softly, Minako chased the memories away. Though she regained most of her memories of her past life, it was obvious that her teammates didn't.

"I've been trying to get readings from the fire, but it won't show me anything... substantial." Rei was explaining to Ami and the blue-eyed blonde could see how the priestess tensed at the though of her visions of Jadeite. "One thing I can tell for sure, is that I'm not getting any sense of malevolence, so-"

"So then whatever's going on isn't some ploy from an enemy, new or old." Minako spoke up, cutting Rei off mid-sentence and ignoring the narrow-eyed glare the dark-haired Martian sent her way. Noticing the looks of confusion on her companions' faces, the Senshi of Venus continued.

"I'm just saying that if something evil was going on, Rei would have noticed it in an instant. We shouldn't go flying off the candle-."

"_Handle_!." Ami, Makoto, and Usagi corrected the exuberant blonde.

"Whatever! All I'm suggesting is that maybe we increase patrols a bit and try to get a better feel about the situation, instead of getting all worked up and paranoid first." Minako could see her friends and teammates turning her suggestion over in their minds. Ami agreed immediately, preferring to gather all information before jumping to conclusions and though the others eventually came around, Rei wasn't completely convinced.

"We go out tomorrow then, but if I feel anything strange, then we're coming back here and I'm locking myself in front of the fire until I get the answers I want."

Minako smiled, only slightly unnerved by the image of the glaring priestess before her; the blazing mark on her forehead bringing up memories from a lifetime ago, in a time where Princess Raye of Mars would glower at her fellow guardians.

"Deal."

* * *

Yay, and this is officially chapter one! Hope everybody enjoyed and I greatly apologize for constantly adding and replacing chapters, I promise you this was the last one. Next chapter, Mamoru gets some old friends back and Usagi loses her temper (scary!) Tell me what you think, R&R!


End file.
